Ella Smoot

Ella is an enthusiastic educator and community advocate dedicated to environmental education. With seven years of teaching experience across various age groups, she focuses on fostering a love for nature and learning in students. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, Ella spent her childhood catching frogs, climbing pine trees, and playing “mud-soccer” in the rain, which ignited her lifelong passion for the outdoors. In college, she discovered NOLS and Wilderness Therapy, which led her to work as a field guide for Open Sky for two years before transitioning into education. Ella had the privilege of working with Eliza, founder of the Oregon Maple Project, at the Arbor School of Arts & Sciences. Eliza's enthusiasm for maple trees inspired Ella to delve deeper into the world of maple. As a volunteer with the Oregon Maple Project from its inception, Ella has come to appreciate the strong sense of community within the organization. Every visit to the sugar shack fills her with excitement as she stokes the fire for the evaporator and connects with others in the community. Ella has loved immersing herself in all things maple!